Fireproof legging



Patented Mar. 11, 1930 EDISON L. WHEELER, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS FIREPBOOFLEGGING Application filed May 23, 1928. Serial No. 280,083.

My invention relates to an improved construction of fire proof leggingfor use in foundries and other places where the legs of workmen requireprotection against the action of molten and hot metal.

' under consideration,

In connection with leggings of the kind it has been found advisable inthe first place to provide fastening devices of one kind or another tokeep the legging in desired position on the leg of the user, and in thesecond place it has been found desirable to construct the fasteningdevices so that they may mit the legging to be quickly removed from theleg of the user,for example where molten metal splashes under any partof the leg ging. I am aware that fastening devices of various kinds havebeen proposed heretofore, that will in one way or another facilitatequickly releasing the legging from the leg of the user, but as far as Iam aware all of these fastening devices are open to a common objection,namely that in releasing the fastening devices heretofore employed, ithas been necessary to grasp the legging, or a part attached to it, atsome particular location on the legging to release the fasteningdevices. In anemergency this is not always quickly accomplished, andvaluable time frequently is lost before the user finally grasps the partof the legging which must be operated to release the fastening devices.By my invention I provide an improved form of fastening devices forsecuring the legging in place on the leg of the user, which fasteningdevices, besides holding the legging snugly in desired position, aresusceptible of being undone to release the legging from the leg of theuser, by grasping any part of the outer edge of the legging and pullingit outwardly from the remaining part of the legging, with the resultthat the entire legging is at once released from the leg of the user,regardless of where the edge of the legging is grasped in attempting toremove it. A further advantage incident to my improved fastening devicesis that the motion required to undo the fastening devices and free thelegging, is the same motion that the user instinctively makes in anemergency,

be quickly undone to'perin attempting to tear the legging from his leg,from which it will appear that with my improved fastening devices, theuser need only be concerned in an emergency, with attempting to pull thelegging from his leg, and need give no thought to whether any particularmotion is required to undo the fastening devices or not.

By my invention I also provide special reinforcing means co-operatingwith the fastening devices referred to, to keep the legging in place onthe leg of the user.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof in which- Fig. 1 showsmy legging in side elevation, fastened on the leg of a user,

Fig. 2 shows in inside elevation a part of the inner edge of thelegging, removed from the leg of the user,

Fig. 3 shows in elevation the inner surface of the front portion of thelegging removed from the leg of the user,

Fig. 4 shows in front portions of the legging in the relation theyoccupy when fastened together in use,

Fig. 5 shows in a view similar to Fig. 4 the outer edge portion of thelegging in the position it assumes when free from the ,inner edgeportion of the legging,

Fig. 6 shows in side elevation and to an enlarged scale thedetailconstruction of the fastening devices, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 6 taken along theline 77.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Fig. 1, my legging consists of a sheet of flexible material10 which may be of leather, asbestos or canvas, to the outer surface ofthe inner edge portion of which, metal fastening strips 11 and 12 aresecured in any desired manner, preferably by rivets 13, adjacent theupper and lower edges of the legging. The fastening strips 11 and 1:2are provided with outwardly projecting pockets 14 and 15, preferablyformed by suitable dies from the body portion of the strips 11 and 12,the pockets 14 opening downwardly and the elevation the edge tionindicated by pockets 15 opening upwardly. The outer edge of the sheet ofmaterial has supported in a hem 16, a metal reinforcing bar 17 extendingnearly the entire height of the legging and preferably held securely inthe posirivets or equivalent fastening devices 18, .18 extending throughthe bar and through the outer edge of'the legging. The bar 17 is of sucha length that its ends extend into the pockets 14 and 15 to hold theouter edge of the legging snugly againstits inner edge portion asindicated in Fig. t.

The construction of the fastening strips 11 and 12 is the same,excepting that the pockets 1 1 open downwardly and the pockets 15 openupwardly, and'it is necessary therefore to 'describe but one of thesestrips, for example the strip 11. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the pockets14c projecting from the strip 11 are formed integrally with the strip,preferably by suitable dies,'and each is flat and of oval conformationwhere it joins the body portion of the strip 11. As indicated in 'Fig.6, the end of the bar 17 is shouldered at 17 and continued beyond theshouldered portions-as indicated at 17 the end portion 17 beingsubstantially narrower than the body portion of the bar and iaving arounded end as indicated. The lower end of the bar 17 is similarlyformed. The distance between the shoulders at the ends of the bar 17, issubstantially the same as the distance between the pockets 14 and 15,and the shoulders serve to effect engagement between the ends ofthe barand the pockets to the desired degree. 1 a

The rounded end portions of the bar 17 are of such length that theycatch in the pockets 14 and 15 sufficiently to positively retain thelegging in place on the leg of the user, and yet without sufficientengagement to prevent the ready separation of the bar from the pocketswhen any part of the bar is pulled outwardly from the inner portion ofthe legging. To facilitate the ready separation of the bar from thepockets, a substantial clearance is provided in each pocket in alldirections around the end of the bar, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 andthe rounded edge portions of the pockets cooperate with the rounded endsof the bar, to permit the ends of the bar to slip freely from thepockets, when any part of the bar is moved outwardly in removing thelegging from the leg of the user.

As shown in Fig. 5, I prefer, to give the bar 17 a curved conformation,so that when the bar engages the fastening strips 11 and 12 as indicatedin Fig. i, the bar pressesthe outer edge of the legging snugly againstits inner edge portion throughout the entire extent of the overlap ofthe outer edge portion on the inner edge portion. To facilitate thisaction, I pref-er to make the bar 17 of spring steel, or of metal havinga sufficient amount of spring action to bend as required in fasteningthe legging on the leg of the userand removing it thereform. When theouter edge portion of the legging on the leg of the user is engaged atany point vertically and moved outwardly to substantially the positionindicated in dotted lines at 17 the ends of the bar slip from thepockets releasing and in turn completely releasing the legging from theleg of the user in the manner above referred to. In putting the leggingon the leg ofthe user,-the bar 17 is similarly sprung outwardly toengage its ends in the pockets 14: and 15, the particular pocketsselected depending upon the size of the leg of the user,

and there being a plurality of these pockets on each of the strips 11and 12 to make'the legging adjustable. as to size;

the fastening devices To maintain the fastening strips 11 and 12 I atthe correct distance from each other to properly described, I find itdesirable to secure tothe inner surface of the inner portion of thelegging, a strip of stay material 19 as indicated in Fig. 2,-thismaterial being preferably upholsterers webbing, canvas or other flexiblematerial having practically no stretch in it. The material 19 preferablyextends substantially from the upper to the lower portion of the leggingand has extendingthrough it the rivets 13, and is preferably stitched atits edges to the legging. With this construction, the body portion ofthe legging 10"may engage the ends of the'bar 17 as be made of softpliable material for example 7 soft leather or asbestos, which haslittle stability from the standpoint of stretching, and yet the strips11 and 12 maybe positively maintained a desired distance apart.

Asindicated in Fig.3, I preferably reinforce the front portion of thelegging with narrow sheets 20 of stiff material, for example pressboard, whichare preferably sewed tothe material of the legging 10 to lieon either side of the shin of theuser, and

where additional protection is desired, I

preferably cover these reinforcing sheets 20' with pieces of fabric 21sewed to the legging materiallO outside of the edges of the sheets 20.The sheets 20'cooperate with the bar 17 to maintain the entire leggingin desired posit on on the leg of the user, and prevent it working lntofolds extending around the leg loo of the user, and in this way thelegging as a V 7 whole is prevented from. working up away from the footand down away from the knee i of the user. If desired, the sheets 20need not be stitched to the material 10 where the covering material 21is employed.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, I prefer to secure to the lower edge ofthe front portion of the legging, a flare 22, extending over the shoeofthe user, and to permit free movement of the foot, the flare is,preferably of soft leather, or canvas. Where the entire flare is softand not reinforced, it readily becomes displaced on the foot'of the userso that it does not properly protect the foot; to avoid this, I secureto the under portion of the toe portion of the flare a piece of stillmaterial 23, extending but part way from the front edge of the flare tothe legging proper. The reinforcingpiece 23 may be of any suitablematerial, for example press board, and by retaining the toe portion ofthe flare in proper position and shape, it prevents displacement of theremaining portion of the flare on the foot of the user.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment abovedescribed, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to thisexact construction as I may employ equivalents known to the art at thetime of the filing of this application without departing from the scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a legging, the combination of a sheet of flexible material forencircling the leg of the user with one vertical edge portionoverlapping the opposite edge portion, metal pockets secured to theouter surface of the inner one of said edge portions adjacent the upperand lower edges of said sheet, said pockets opening towards each other,means holding said pockets in desired spaced relation, and a flexiblyresilient metal bar secured to the outer one of said edge portions andextending vertically to enter and enthe outer surface of the inner one1; springing said bar outwardly gage said pockets at its ends with thelegging in place on the leg of the user, whereby springing said baroutwardly away from said inner edge portion releases said bar from saidpockets, said bar having shouldered portions adjacent its ends limitingthe extent of engagement between its ends and said pockets.

2. In a legging, the combination of a sheet of flexible material forencircling the leg of the user with one vertical edge portionoverlapping the opposite edge portion, horizontally disposed sheet metalstrips secured to of said edge portions adjacent its upper and loweredges, said strips each having a plurality of pockets extendingtherefrom, the pockets of each strip opening towards the other strip,

the outer one of said edge portions having a hem along its verticaledge, a flexibly resilient metal bar in said hem and having its ends ina pocket of each strip with the legging in place on the leg of the user,whereby away from said niner edge portion releases said bar, and areinforcing member connecting said sheet metal strips and holding them adesired distance apart.

3. In a legging, the combination of a sheet of flexible material forencircling the leg of the user with one vertical edge portionoverlapping the opposite edge portion, horizontally disposed sheet metalstrips secured to the outer surface of the inner one of said edgeportions adjacent its upper and lower edges, said strips each having aplurality of pockets extending therefrom, the pockets of each stripopening towards the other strip, the outer one of said edge portionshaving a hem along its vertical edge and a flexibly resilient metal barin said hem and having its ends in a pocket of each strip with thelegging in place on the leg of the user, whereby springing said baroutwardly away from said inner edge portion releases said bar, said barhaving shouldered portions adj acent its ends limiting the extent ofengagement between its ends and said pockets.

4. In a legging, the combination of a sheet of flexible material forencircling the leg of the user with one vertical edge portionoverlapping the opposite edge portion, metal pockets secured to theouter surface of the inner one of said edge portions adjacent the upperand lower edges of said sheet, said pockets opening towards each other,and a flexibly resilient metal bar secured to the outer one of said edgeportions and extending vertically to enter and engage said pockets atits ends with the legging in place on the leg of the user, wherebyspringing said bar outwardly away from said inner edge portion releasessaid bar from said pockets, said bar when free from stress being curvedwith its ends extending away from said inner edge portion, whereby withthe ends of said bar in said pockets said bar'presses said outer edgeportion snugly against said inner edge portion.

5. In a legging, the combination of a sheet of flexible material forencircling the leg of the user with one vertical edge portionoverlapping the opposite edge portion, horizontally disposed sheet metalstrips secured to the outer surface of the inner one of said edgeportions adjacent its upper and lower edges, said strips each having aplurality of pockets extending therefrom, the pockets of each stripopening towards the other strip, the outer one of said edge portionshaving a hem along its vertical edge, and a flexibly resilient metal barin said hem and having its ends I in a pocket of each strip with thelegging in place on the leg of the user, whereby springing said baroutwardly away from said inner edge portion releases said bar, said barwhen free from stress being curved with its ends extending away fromsaid inner edge portion, whereby with the ends of said bar in saidpockets said bar presses said outer edge portion snugly against saidinner edge portion.

6. In a legging, the combination of a sheet of flexible material forencircling the leg of the user'with one vertical edge portionoverlapping the opposite edge portion, a vertically disposd flexiblyresilient metal bar secured to the outer one of said edge portions, andretaining devices on the inner one of said snugly agalnst edgeportionsforengaging the ends of said 1 bar, said bar when'freefromstress being curved with its ends extendingfaway from said inner edgeportion, ends of said bar engaging said retaining devices said barpresses said outer edge portion said inner edge portion. In witnesswhereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this l5thdaty ofMay, A. D. 19 28.

p EDISON L. WHEELER.

whereby with the i

